U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,043, hereby incorporated by reference herein, describes a torque converter with a lock-up clutch that is located axially between the outside of the turbine wheel and the inside opposite it of the converter housing which forms the connection between the pump wheel and the internal combustion engine.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,577 describes a lock-up clutch with fastening holes and tongue extending through the ends of the tongues.
FIG. 1 shows a prior art torque converter 18 including a converter housing 4. Converter housing 4 encloses a turbine 10, a pump 12, and a piston plate 2. Piston plate 2 is axially supported with a thrust washer 14 between piston plate 2 and a turbine hub 16. Turbine hub 16 is connected by a ball bearing 8 to a bearing flange 6. Torque converter 18 uses ball bearing 8 to center turbine 10 to converter housing 4. Bearing flange 6 is welded to converter housing 4. Bearing flange 6 is then machined, if necessary, after bearing flange 6 is welded to ensure concentricity of bearing flange 6 center.